


Nightmares

by timeladyleo



Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-01
Updated: 2015-06-01
Packaged: 2018-04-02 10:26:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4056604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/timeladyleo/pseuds/timeladyleo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur has nightmares. Herc helps.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nightmares

It was so rare to see Arthur not being cheery and excited that the first time Herc saw him gazing absently at a cup of tea in the kitchen, he thought that Arthur must be ill. However, after Arthur shook his head and refused to speak after being asked what was wrong, Herc realised something more must be going on.

“Is something the matter?” Herc asked, sitting across from him and watching him closely for any indication of what was wrong. Arthur shrugged, not looking up at Herc. Not yet prepared to give in, Herc continued to push as gently as he could. “Would you like another cup of tea?”

Arthur looked down at his now cold, half empty cup as if he hadn’t noticed it before, and nodded, passing the mug over without a word or a glance. Smiling at Arthur in an attempt to cheer him up even slightly, Herc got up to boil the kettle. Again he sat down, pushing the tea towards Arthur who this time looked up to meet Herc’s eye.

For a good minute he stared at Herc with an expression that Herc couldn’t read at all. He supposed it wasn’t all that surprising that Arthur could make an unreadable expression, even if he usually didn’t, because after all he _did_ live with Carolyn who had the best poker face Herc had ever seen. Even so, seeing it on Arthur was more than a little disconcerting, and Herc was almost glad when he eventually looked away and mumbled “Had a nightmare.”

Herc reached across the table to try and take Arthur’s hand. He was pleased to see that Arthur didn’t share Carolyn’s aversion to affection in the form of hand-holding, and squeezed Arthur’s hand in sympathy. He also knew better than to ask the content of nightmares, because nightmares wouldn’t be so if they were happy, so instead said “Nightmares are never nice, but you know what else they are?”

Arthur shook his head, looking at Herc expectantly. “Not real. Whatever it was, it wasn’t real and can’t affect you now. You’re safe, and everything is fine.” Arthur blinked twice, a smile spreading across his face, his eyes still watery, but to Herc’s relief they seemed suddenly brighter.

He took a sip of his tea then said “You’re the best, Herc. You’re brilliant.”

As Arthur got up to hug Herc, Carolyn smiled to herself. Neither knew she had been watching the whole scene, and never would. She knew exactly what Arthur’s nightmare would have been, the same as every other nightmare he ever had - Gordon, the same as most of her own. But Herc was there now, the father figure that Arthur needed, and Carolyn could see how much he cared, which she was quietly grateful for, even if he looked like the most awkward man in the world when being hugged. It was enough to make her love him. 


End file.
